Rotary clubs to host Midland's Labor Day Tridge Walk

Kate Carlson, kcarlson@mdn.net

Published
8:17 am EDT, Thursday, August 23, 2018

Lou E. Loon listens as Midland Mayor Maureen Donker speaks during the annual Labor Day Tridge Walk event on Monday, September 4, 2017 in Midland's Chippewassee Park. Although attendees were unable to walk across the tridge this year due to construction, the event was still held and featured performances by the Resonators Drum Line and Jolly Hammers & Strings of the Folk Music Society of Midland.

Lou E. Loon listens as Midland Mayor Maureen Donker speaks during the annual Labor Day Tridge Walk event on Monday, September 4, 2017 in Midland's Chippewassee Park. Although attendees were unable to walk across the tridge this year due to construction, the event was still held and featured performances by the Resonators Drum Line and Jolly Hammers & Strings of the Folk Music Society of Midland.

It is almost Labor Day, a day that Midland honors with a tradition of walking across the city's three-legged landmark.

The festivities for this year's Labor Day Tridge Walk on Sept. 3 will celebrate the recently refurbished Tridge with music performed at 8:30 a.m. by indie singer-songwriter Anna ps, followed by a speech from Mayor Maureen Donker. Walkers will then gather for the mass migration from the Midland Area Farmers Market leg of the Tridge to the Chippewassee Park pavilion for coffee and donuts.

The tradition has evolved over the years, after starting in 1992 when Judge Henry Hart and a group of friends crossed the Tridge over the confluence of the Chippewa and Tittabawassee rivers. Since then, many organizations have hosted the annual walk, which has been led by Midland's Rotary clubs in recent years.

Dexter Brigham, a Midland Noon Rotary Club member on the group's board of directors, is in his second year of organizing the event. He is looking forward to actually being able to walk the Tridge this year, which did not happen last year when the Tridge was under construction.

"The Tridge really is the most visible symbol of Midland," Brigham said. "It's a really nice time on Labor Day to have some coffee and enjoy the community."

The Midland morning and noon Rotary clubs have a combined 200 members. Rotary members will be at the Labor Day Tridge Walk to talk to community members about Rotary and the work the organization does locally and on an international scale.

Post-walk entertainment for the free event will be provided by the Jolly Hammers dulcimer group. The Great Lakes Loons mascot Lou E. Loon also will make an appearance, and raffle tickets will be given out to Tridge-walkers to win prizes and gift cards donated by local businesses.

M-20 bridge construction continues to restrict vehicle access to Chippewassee Park. Tridge Walk parking can take place at the farmers market and Towsley Dike Park sides of the Tridge.